Tiny Pokes
by greypolkadots
Summary: Alex and Arizona one-shot. Set in the Sweet Sixteen 'verse. Arizona's pregnant and craving Indian food. Alex satisfies her craving and gets his own satisfaction after dinner. March 2015.


A/N: Another in the Sweet Sixteen series. I will probably write a lot of this series over the course of this summer (as well as some one-shots in my other verses). The one-shots will likely jump around in the timeline as story ideas come to me. If you have any suggestions please let me know and I can try to fulfill them. Please enjoy and let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: Grey's Anatomy and its characters are owned by ABC and not me.

**...**

A soft knock on the door to her condo broke her from her daydreams. Arizona had been lounging on the couch attempting to get some work done on her laptop when she found herself daydreaming instead. It was something that was happening more and more as she got further along in her pregnancy. She couldn't keep her mind off of her baby and now that the baby was making her presence known with kicks and flips - Arizona really couldn't keep her mind from wandering and thinking about the future.

Arizona slowly made her way from the couch and toward the door. She didn't know why he was knocking. She had told Alex that he didn't have to knock anymore - especially when she knew that he was coming.

"Hey," Alex smiled as the door swung open. He lifted his hand that revealed a white plastic shopping bag, "Delivery for a Dr. Robbins."

Arizona's eyes went immediately toward the bag in Alex's hand. Alex was surprised she wasn't drooling. Arizona reached out and grabbed the bag from Alex, "Thank you. Thank you _so much_, Alex. I really didn't want to have to go out in this rain."

When Arizona finally tore her gaze off of the plastic bag she looked up to a very soggy Alex standing in her doorway. She immediately felt guilty for making him go out in the downpour.

Alex could sense that Arizona was about to apologize and he wanted to stop it before she opened her mouth. "Don't worry about it," he said as he shrugged off his jacket revealing that he was relatively dry underneath. "Whatever my baby mama wants, she gets. And I would have had to get wet to go home anyway."

"Thank you," Arizona repeated as she took the bag and made her way to the kitchen where she pulled out plates and silverware. Alex dutifully followed her and grabbed a beer and a ginger ale from the fridge.

"This smells amazing," Arizona said as her nose was buried in a take-out container.

Alex leaned back against the counter as he twisted the top off of his beer, "Are you sure spicy Indian food is a good choice? I just remember how the Mexican made you feel the other week."

Arizona rolled her eyes as she dished out the food onto the plates. For the first months of pregnancy, Arizona never had any food aversions or cravings. She knew that every pregnancy was different but she felt left out that she didn't have any of the typical pregnancy symptoms. But once she hit the halfway point, twenty weeks, she suddenly wanted to eat anything and everything; and when she wanted something, she wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything else until she got it. So when she was craving spicy Indian food that night, she knew she had to have it - even if she might regret it when she was dealing with heartburn later that night.

Once Arizona was done plating the food she turned around and shoved a plate into Alex's hands, "Don't question the cravings, Karev. It's what your daughter wants."

Alex couldn't help but smile when Arizona mentioned that they were having a daughter. They had only known for a few weeks that the baby was a girl and he still couldn't believe it. He was going to have a daughter. The thought both terrified him and excited him at the same time.

Alex fumbled to pick up their drinks and his plate of food as he made his way to living room where Arizona was already digging into her dinner. It was a routine that they had perfected over the last few months. Two to three times a week, Alex would bring over dinner and they would hang out for the night. Sometimes they'd talk about the pregnancy, the baby and how they were going to co-parent but most nights they'd talk about everything else in their lives - friends, work, sports, life. They'd watch television and talk about whatever was on their minds. At first, Alex would always dutifully leave after he was finished eating but over time he'd stay later and later and occasionally would even spend the night on the couch or in the guest room.

After dinner was over, Arizona stretched out on the couch with the remote in her hand while Alex cleaned up the kitchen. Arizona always told him he didn't need to do it but Alex refused to listen to her. He claimed she was doing so much for him that it was the least he could do. When he returned from the kitchen, Arizona had settled on an episode of Castle. Alex gently lifted Arizona's legs and sat underneath them. His hands went to work on Arizona's feet. She was finally starting to gain weight and with working long hours at the hospital, he knew her feet must be sore. Arizona sighed in contentment as Alex massaged her feet. It was on the nights that Alex came over that she felt like she wasn't alone in the pregnancy. He was with her.

"Ow!" Arizona yelped as she felt a particularly strong kick.

Alex immediately stopped rubbing her feet, thinking that he hurt her. "Sorry," he mumbled and gently put her feet back down in his lap.

"No," Arizona shook her head and reached out to rub the spot on her lower belly. "She just kicked me really hard."

Alex frowned. So far he hadn't been able to feel his daughter move. Arizona said that the movements were so slight that there was no way that he would be able to feel it from the outside. He also felt awkward even asking to feel. He felt that touching her stomach was violating some kind of personal space bubble - even if that was his daughter in there.

Arizona sat up and motioned for Alex to come closer. Once he got close enough she pushed up her shirt, grabbed his hand, and put it on her stomach. "I think she's strong enough that you can feel her now."

Alex waited patiently for his daughter to move or kick again. After a minute he pulled his hand back reluctantly, "Maybe next time."

Arizona reached for his hand again and put it back on her stomach, "Just wait. She'll do it again."

After another few minutes of waiting in silence he finally felt it. He felt a very slight poke right under the palm of his hand. He wasn't sure what it would feel like when he finally could feel his daughter move but it felt better than he ever imagined. She was really in there. He had seen the many ultrasounds but being able to feel his daughter made it much more real to him.

"You feel that?" Arizona looked up at him with a smile.

Alex matched her smile, "Yeah." His grin got even larger when he felt another tiny poke on his hand.

"I think the spicy food is making her active."

Alex nodded his agreement as he felt yet another poke. He spent another few minutes feeling his daughter move before reluctantly taking his hand away.

"Thank you," Alex sighed as he relaxed into the couch, sitting next to Arizona.

"For what?" Arizona quirked her eyebrows. She had no clue why Alex was thanking her.

Alex shrugged his shoulders and pointed to the tiny swell on her abdomen. At twenty-one weeks, she was just beginning to show enough that people could tell that she was pregnant and not just gaining weight. "For that... you know. Letting me feel."

"Alex," Arizona sighed and turned her body to face him. "This is your baby too. You can feel anytime you want. I know this isn't a typical pregnancy but that doesn't mean that you have to lose out on things like this. I mean, you go to every appointment, you bring me food all the time, you print out articles on parenting and sleep schedules and put them on my desk. You certainly get to feel your daughter kick while she is still living inside me."

Arizona looked up at Alex and could tell he was still unsure of what she was saying. She understood that it was a little awkward for him to be touching her belly but they'd get over the awkwardness. She needed for him to feel like he was a part of this pregnancy - one hundred percent.

"Okay?" Arizona questioned, determined to make sure that Alex knew that he was allowed to touch her. "You're free to feel her anytime you want."

Alex nodded his agreement.

Arizona cocked her head and glared at him. She didn't want Alex to agree just to appease her. She needed to know that he really understood that she was okay with and really wanted him to be connecting with their daughter. "I want to hear you say it."

Alex rolled his eyes but nodded his head again, "I can feel our daughter whenever I want." To show his agreement and understanding Alex even reached out and put his hand on her stomach again. He gently rubbed the belly before taking his hand back.

"Good," Arizona said and laid back down on the couch. "But now you made me miss the end of Castle and since I don't know who the murderer was, we're going to rewind the DVR and watch again."

Alex grabbed the remote off the table and rewound it to the last point that he could remember watching. They both made commentary as the episode played out. Both of them commenting on the will they/won't they relationship of the two main characters. They also each made their selection for who was the murderer. Alex thought that Arizona's choice of the best friend was too obvious and went for the victim's boss instead. Alex couldn't help gloating when he was right.

"I wish they'd just get together already," Arizona said as she turned off the television. "I'm a lesbian and even I would date Rick Castle!"

"Really?" Alex turned around to face her.

"Yep," Arizona nodded as she met his eyes. "He's attractive, smart, really funny. He's a fantastic partner to Beckett and a great father. He's got everything a girl could want. Plus, he's loaded."

"But he's a dude," Alex stated the obvious.

Arizona giggled, "Well, he'd be so into me that he'd get a sex change operation. Obviously."

"Of course he would. Who wouldn't for a shot at being with you?" Alex loved seeing Arizona smile. During her cancer treatments, Alex rarely saw her smile so to see her so happy made him happy. She deserved to be happy.

"I am pretty awesome," Arizona agreed smugly.

"So you free for dinner on Wednesday?" Alex asked as he gathered their empty glasses from the coffee table.

Arizona paused for a moment to think and remember if she was working that night or not, "I think so."

"Good. Let me know what the baby wants and I'll bring it by. I'll be in the neighborhood anyway."

"Oh?" Arizona's interest was piqued and followed him into the kitchen. She lived in a part of town that Alex didn't frequent unless he was coming to visit her. Alex lived close to the hospital and downtown Seattle while Arizona lived on the outskirts of the city, near Lake Washington. She didn't think he was dating anyone; not that he wasn't free to date, he just hadn't mentioned anyone in his life.

Alex perched himself on the counter as Arizona leaned against the island in the kitchen. "Yeah, I'm looking for a new apartment."

"You're moving?" Arizona did not see that coming. They had talked about custody arrangements and time schedules but not once did Alex mention that he was going to move.

"Well, I don't think that Avery and Kepner want a crying baby for a fourth roommate."

"Right. Probably not." Arizona hadn't even thought about that. She never went to Alex's place. He always came to her so she had forgotten that he still lived with roommates.

"And I should probably be closer to you anyway. With traffic it takes me a half hour to get here from my place. If something happens, I don't want to be a half hour away."

Arizona melted a little when he said that. For a guy that originally was just the sperm donor, he had come a long way. From the moment that Alex said that he was in, he was in. While he still had reservations about being a father he loved their baby fiercely and was already being an overprotective father. Arizona could already picture Alex scaring away potential boyfriends. She liked what she saw. She knew that Alex was going to be an amazing father. Arizona coughed and shook her head to clear those thoughts from her brain and refocus on the topic of Alex moving. "So where are you looking at?"

"I've got an appointment to see a couple of places up on Wilson. They look pretty nice. Some two bedrooms that are within my budget as a fellow."

Arizona grimaced when he said where he was looking. Arizona knew the places he was talking about. The neighborhood was safe enough, which she knew was important to Alex with their baby involved, but the apartments themselves were old and probably run down. She reminded herself that Alex was still just a fellow and two bedrooms without roommates was definitely going to stretch his budget. She wanted better for him. He deserved a nice place to come home to. A nice place to make a home for their daughter. And she knew that she could help.

Alex noticed her hesitance on his location selections. "I know they're old but it's a safe neighborhood. All that I care about is that our daughter has a safe place to sleep."

"I can help," Arizona interrupted him.

"No," he said sharply as he glared at her. He didn't want Arizona's help. He didn't need her help. After he finished his fellowship, his salary would jump up dramatically and then he'd be able to afford a nice place. But until then, he would have a tight budget but he'd be fine. "I'm not a charity case."

Arizona reached out and touched Alex's knee, "You're not a charity case. And I'm not going to give you money. The hospital is going to give you money. You got an incredible fellowship offer from Hopkins. You-."

"You knew about that?" Alex interupted. He hadn't told Arizona about the offer. He didn't want her to feel guilty that he picked staying in Seattle and helping her than going to Hopkins, the number one pediatric fellowship in the country.

Arizona squeezed his knee and started to hop up on the counter next to Alex. She wasn't as agile as she once was but with a little help from Alex she settled right next to him. "Of course I knew. I did my residency at Hopkins. I personally gave my colleague and friend, the chief, a glowing recommendation for you. I know why you didn't go. I was just finishing chemo and you felt like you owed it to me to stick around and help out."

Alex looked guilty but didn't answer. His silence confirmed to Arizona that she was right. That he gave up Hopkins for her.

"Hopkins offered you everything. They even offered you mortgage assistance. You should have at least gotten Hunt to match their offer. If I was in a better condition back then I would have forced him to but I am better now so I'll speak to him. He has the money. I'll try to get it retroactive to the start of your fellowship last year but even if I can't do that I'll get it to start immediately."

Alex glanced at Arizona for the first time since she joined him on the kitchen counter, "You'd really do that for me?"

"Alex, yes, of course," Arizona couldn't believe that he didn't think that she would do things for him. He had been by her side through some of the toughest things in her life. She would do anything for him. "So start looking at places better than off Wilson. Because you deserve a nice place... and our baby deserves a nice place. There's even a few open units in this building. The two bedrooms are pretty nice. I looked at them when I was buying. Not as nice as my three bedroom but you could definitely afford a two bedroom."

"Living in the same building would be convenient," Alex mused as he considered the possibility. It really would be very convenient and it would allow him to see his daughter more than he would if he lived a few miles away.

"It would," Arizona agreed. "I'll talk to the building manager tomorrow and see if he can show you something on Wednesday."

"Okay. Thanks," Alex said as he glanced at his watch. It was getting late and Arizona and the baby needed their rest. Alex slid off the countertop and held out his hands to help Arizona down. "I've got something for you in my backpack."

Arizona followed Alex to the front door where he left his things. She watched as Alex pulled out an ipod and a pair of headphones that looked like they were straight out of the 1980s.

"Here," he said as he shoved it into her hands. "I loaded it with the classics - Chopin, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart. As well as the other classics - The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan."

"What's this for?" Arizona looked at him curiously.

"The baby," Alex said like it was the obvious answer. "Studies say that listening to classical music for ten to twenty minutes a day stimulates brain development. But then I figured all that classical stuff might get boring so I picked out some of the other classics. She's still too little to recognize voices but for now music is really good for her little brain. And I know you don't want a dumb kid. And I don't want a dumb kid so we're going to do everything possible to start her out right."

"Thank you, Alex," Arizona smiled as she covered her small bump with one hand. Alex's thoughtfulness during the pregnancy was constantly surprising her. "You know when she can start to hear voices, I want you to talk to her. Just like feeling her kick - don't feel shy about talking to her. She should be born recognizing both of her parents' voices."

Alex smiled shyly, "I will." That had been another thing that Alex was hesitant to do around Arizona. It was another part of having a baby with a friend and not a girlfriend or a wife that was difficult about their situation.

"Maybe you can read to her when you come by. You can also record yourself reading to her for the nights that you aren't here," Arizona suggested. She knew Alex probably wasn't going to sit and talk to their daughter like he would if they were in a relationship so she wanted to offer him a solution that would be more comfortable for him - like reading, instead of talking to her belly about his day and his life.

"That'd be nice," Alex said as he pulled his backpack over his shoulder. "You better get some sleep. Soon enough we won't be getting any sleep."

Arizona laughed. It was the same thing Alex said every night when he left. "You too."

Alex reached out to feel his daughter one last time for the night. Arizona pausing his hand and moving it to an area where his daughter had been recently active. After one last poke to his hand he let go and leaned in to give his baby mama a kiss on the cheek. "Night, Arizona."

"Night, Alex."

Arizona took the ipod with her to bed. After getting ready for bed, Arizona pulled back the covers and grabbed the parenting book on her bedside table. She always read one chapter before going to bed. Before she started reading, she took the ridiculously large headphones and stretched them out as far as they would go before placing them on her belly. She hit play on the ipod and turned the volume up. Both she and her daughter listened to the classics as they settled down for the night. Arizona quickly fell asleep getting the best night of sleep she had in months.

Alex wasn't doing so bad at this parenting thing and their daughter hadn't even been born yet.

**...**


End file.
